The youngest of Churchill’s children, seventeen-year-old Mary, spent the night of May 9th dancing and dining with friends late into the night at the famed Savoy Hotel. Infatuated with the handsome young army major Mark Howard, Mary would later write in her diary, "Danced almost exclusively with Mark, V. nice! Home and bed 4. A.M" (Larson, 41). After a night of dancing, Mary and her friends would commonly go to the 400 Club, a nightclub seemingly exclusive for the children from affluent families.

As the sun rose, Mary would wake to hear about Hitler’s lightning attacks in Europe. Writing in her diary, "Germany swooped on two more countries—Holland & Belgium. The bestiality of the attack is inconceivable" (Larson, 42). The resignation of Neville Chamberlain heard around the world would be a time of great thrill for Mary as she knew her father was up for the task. This enthralled feeling was not widespread throughout Britain, and one dissenter John "Jock" Colville was the staunchest of all.

John Colville served as an assistant private secretary to Neville Chamberlain and found himself amid a transition in administrations. Along with four other appointees, Colville composed the "Private Office" of Churchill’s administration. A loyalist to the Royal Family, Colville witnessed firsthand the charisma of Adolf Hitler when he attended one of his speeches later writing, "I had never before, and have never since seen an exhibition of mass hysteria so universal in its scope" (Larson, 45).

The hesitation over how Churchill would govern was of great concern to Colville and even King George VI, who would meet with Lord Halifax, the only other consideration for the Prime Minister after Chamberlain resigned. Admittedly, King George was not a fan of Churchill, and during his meeting with Halifax, the King made this clear as a diary entry writes that he "was sorry not to have him as Prime Minister" (Larson, 48).

Although many were worried about Churchill’s leadership skills, the public and Churchill allies were full of joy and sent numerous letters and telegrams to congratulate him. Two of that correspondence came from harbored romances from years before. Violet Bonham Carter and Venetia Stanley were glad that Churchill was "given the chance of saving us all" (Larson, 50).

The skeptical nature of Churchill’s inner circle sets a dangerous precedent of potential fracturing within the newly formed government. A schism that the country is not prepared to deal with, especially not during a time of imminent threat.